Electrical switch actuated by a sliding door



y 1, 1957 T. WIERZBA 2,793,263

ELECTRICAL SWITCH ACTUATED BY A SLIDING DOOR Filed Oct. 4, 1954 Fi .1. 12 Q I 12 B- United States Patent ELECTRICAL SWITCH ACTUATED BY A SLIDING DOOR Thad Wierzba, Blasdell, N. Y. Application October 4, 1954, Serial No. 459,880

9 Claims. (Cl. ZOO-61.75)

This invention relates to an electrical switch actuated by a sliding door and, more particularly to such a switch used in conjunction with the usual closet double sliding doors to illuminate a light in the closet when either door is opened and to extinguish the light when both doors are closed or ajar.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide such a switch which can be used in conjunction with wood or metal panel doors and which requires a minimum modification of the doors.

Another object of the invention is to provide such a switch which will not close the circuit through the light until the door or doors are ajar at least a foot or so, so that it is unnecessary to keep the doors tightly closed in order to cut off the light.

Another object is to provide such a switch which does not tend to push either door open and light the light.

Another object is to provide such a switch incorporates a built in guide for the bottom of the door.

Another object is to provide such a switch which can be provided as a double switch unit to serve both doors of the usual two door closet where the doors slide past each other.

Another object is to provide such a switch which is sub-- stantially concealed by the pair of doors at all times.

Another object is to provide such a switch which is readily adjusted, such adjustment in particular being effected after the doors, switch and light have been installed.

Another object is to provide such a switch, which while substantially completely concealed, is readily accessible for repairs, replacements and to meet code requirements, such accessibility being provided by the removal of the sliding doors.

Another object is to provide a switch for a sliding closet closure which does not require the doors to be milled to rights and lefts of particular form but in which say a door normally a right can be reversed if the owner or carpenter prefers to expose its other side and this change compensated for by using, say, a normally open instead of a normally closed switch for this reversed door.

Another object is to provide such a switch which is simple and sturdy in construction and low in cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following description and drawings in which:

Fig. l is a fragmentary side elevational view of a pair of sliding closet doors actuating a double electrical switch embodying the present invention, the doors being shown as slidingly mounted within a frame with one closed and the other half way open.

Fig. 2 is an enlarged top view of the switch embodying the present invention.

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view taken on line 33, Fig. 2, and showing the double switch mounted in the floor and serving a pair of sliding doors.

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary vertical section taken generally in line 44, Fig. 2.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the threaded adjusting sleeve and notched ring whereby the individual switches of the double switch are adjusted vertically.

2,793,263 Patented May 21, 1957 Fig. 6 is a wiring diagram of the individual switches in circuit with the closet light.

The invention is shown in conjunction with a pair of sliding closet doors A and B, the door A being the rear sliding door and the door 13 being the front sliding door. These doors are conventionally hung so as to slide lengthwise of their major planar surfaces past each other into engagement with stops C of the frame for the doors. The rear door A is shown in a fully closed position while the front door B is shown in a half way open position and the bottom of each door, as shown in Fig. 3, is arranged in closely spaced relation to the floor D. Each door A and B is provided centrally along its bottom with a deep but relatively narrow longitudinal central groove 10, such grooves being provided the full length of the bottom of the door at the mill to receive standard guide members (not shown).

In the practice of the present invention, each of the doors A and B is also provided with an additional shallow but relatively broad groove 11 in its bottom. Each groove 11 is substantially wider than the companion groove 10 and forms an enlarged mouth or outer part of this groove 10. However, each groove 11 does not extend the full length of the bottom of the door, but terminates approximately, say, a foot from one edge 12 of this door in a rounding cam surface 13. This edge 12 of each door, as illustrated, is the edge of that part which always overlaps the other door. However, the groove 12 can extend from the edge 12 and be made operative by simply reversing the 7 normal conditions of its switch as hereinafter described.

A double switch is shown as contained within a cylindrical metal box 15 set into a circular opening 16 in the floor D and the box has a horizontal bottom wall 18 provided with the usual opening 19 for the wires 27 leading to the switch. The metal box 15 also has an upper outwardly extending flange 19 to which a circular cover plate 20 can be secured as by screws 21 and which can anchor in the floor D. The flange 19 and cover plate 20 can be recessed into the floor as shown.

The cover plate 20 carries a pair of individual, normally open electrical switches 22 each of which includes a vertical, externally threaded cylindrical body 23 in which is slidingly mounted a movable switch actuating member 24, the latter projecting upwardly and working vertically in the threaded body 23 and preferably being provided with a wear cap 25. Each switch body 23 is shown as terminating in a lower rectangular block 26 of dielectric material through which the leads 26' extend to connect with opposite sides 27 of the light circuit by a connector cap 27'. Each switch body 23 can be held against turning by an arching piece 28 of metal secured to the underside of the cover 20 and this piece of metal also having downwardly projecting ends engaging the opposing flat sides of the blocks 26 of the two switches so as to prevent them from turning.

The movable actuating member 24 of each individual switch 22 is biased upwardly so that its cap 25 rides or is housed in the corresponding groove 11 in light engagement with the top surface of this groove. In this condition of the actuating member 24 the individual switch 22 is closed to illuminate the closet light 29. This cap 25 and member 24 are moved downwardly when the cap 25 encounters the cam surface 13 so as to be pushed out of the groove 11. When this occurs, the closet light 29, which is across the line as shown in Fig. 5, is extinguished provided the companion individual switch 22 is also open. The individual switches 22 shown are therefore normally open.

An important feature of the invention resides in the vertical adjustability of each individual switch 22 with reference to the cover plate 20 so that it is properly op erated by the cam surface 13 of the corresponding door. For this purpose, an internally threaded, attaching sleeve 31 is screwed on the thread body 23 of each individual switch 22. This sleeve has a lower outwardly projecting flange 32 which engages the underside of the plate cover 20; an intermediate cylindrical part 33 which fits the hole 34 in the plate 20 for the corresponding switch 22 and an upwardly projecting neck 35 of reduced diameter. On this neck 35 is press fitted a ring 36 having a plurality of radial notches or teeth 38 which can be engaged by a screw driver or equivalent instrument. The ring 36 is press fitted on its neck 35 after the threaded sleeve 31 has been fitted in its opening 34 and is press fitted to engage the top face of the plate 20. It will, therefore, be seen that while the rings 31, 36 can be turned by applying a screw driver to the notches 38, such turning raises and lowers the body of the corresponding individual switch 22 because its body is prevented from turning by its flat metal plate 28. Accordingly, turning these rings 31, 36 adjusts the individual switches 22 vertically so as to bring the cap 25 into proper operating contact with the corresponding door grooves 11.

An important feature of the invention resides in the provision of guide lugs 40 to guide the bottoms of the doors in their sliding movement. Desirably two of such lugs are provided for each door, these pairs being suitably secured to the top plate 20 each pair'to project upwardly from opposite sides of the corresponding opening 34. These guide lugs are preferably in the form of plates set on edge parallel with one another and with their upper ends riding in the deep center grooves provided the full length of the doors.

In use, the metal box is set into the floor D and the wires 27 are brought through its opening 19. The two individual switches 22 are then mounted in the cover openings 34, this being done by screwing the threaded sleeve 31 over the threaded body 23 of each switch 22, inserting this threaded sleeve into the corresponding opening 34 from the bottom of the plate and press, fitting the notched ring 36 over the neck of the sleeve 31 so as to non-rotatably secure the switch body 22 to the plate 20, rotation of the switch bodies being prevented by the metal strip 28. The leads 26 from the switch are then connected by the connector caps 27 in parallel with the opposite sides 27 of the line and the plate 20 is brought into engagement with the top flange 19 of the box 15.

The screws 21 are then applied to hold the plate 20 and the individual switches 22 carried thereby in proper position. These screws 21 are applied so that the lugs 40 are in proper position to act as guides for the doors A and B, that is, they are arranged parallel with the line of movement of the doors. The doors A and B are then hung, the guide grooves 10 being fitted over the guide lugs 40. Thereafter, the electrician inserts a screwdriver under the doors and turns the notched rings 36 so as to adjust the switch bodies 23 up or down in order to provide proper operative contact between the caps 25 and the grooves 11 as well as the cam surfaces 13.

With each door A and B fully closed, as illustrated by the door A, the caps 25 of its normally closed individual switches 22 are out of register with the grooves 11 so that the movable switch actuating members 24 are held in their depressed positions, these members being internally biased upwardly. In this position of both switch actuating members 24, both normally closed individual switches 22 open and accordingly, the closet light 29 is not illuminated through either individual switch.

When the user opens, say, the door A a substantial dis tance, say at least, a foot or more, the cap 25 of the corresponding individual switch 22 rides up the cam surface 13 and into the groove 11 and hence is permitted to rise and permit the normally closed switch to close and close a circuit through the closet light 28 and illuminates the same.

Assuming that the carpenter prefers to expose the inside face of, say, the door B, or that the mill has made an error in cutting its groove 11, to permit of this change, all that is necessary is to substitute a normally open switch for its normally closed individual switch 22.

It will accordingly be seen that when either of the doors A or B is brought to within, say, a foot of its closed position, it will automatically open its individual switch 22 so as to break its circuit through the closet light 29 so that when either door A or B is opened more than this assumed distance, its individual switch 22 is closed so as to illuminate the light and the contents of the closet. It will further be seen that the switch is constructed for trouble free service and is substantially completely concealed and accomplishes the various objectives heretofore set forth.

I claim:

1. In a closet closure having a panel mounted to slide lengthwise of its major planar surfaces on a stationary support and to have one edge move lengthwise along and in closely spaced relation to said stationary support, said panel having opposite edges extending transversely from opposite ends of said one edge; the combination therewith of means responsive to the opening of said panel for illuminating said closet comprising an electric light bulb arranged to illuminate said closet, a switch in series with said electric light bulb mounted in said support in line with said one edge of said panel and having an actuating member movabletoward and from said one edge of said panel, means providing a groove in said one edge housing said actuating member and extending from one of said opposite edges and terminating at its other end short of the other of said opposite edges, and means providing a cam surface at said other end of said groove, said cam surface having its salient portion extending transversely of said one edge to engage said actuating member.

2. The combination set forth in claim 1 wherein said one edge is the bottom edge of the panel and said switch is in part arranged in a box set into said support below said one edge of said panel and which has a removable cover in register with said one edge of said panel.

3. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said switch is secured to said cover with its said actuating member projecting from said cover.

4. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said switch is secured to the said cover with a portion of said switch including said actuating member extending through an opening provided in said cover.

5. The combination set forth in claim 2 wherein said cover includes a guide lug projecting into another groove provided in and extending lengthwise of said one edge of said panel.

6. The combination set forth in claim 5 wherein said grooves are in register with each other and wherein said first groove is broad and shallow with reference to said another groove which is deep and narrow.

7. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said switch is adjustably mounted in said cover for movement toward and from said one edge of said panel.

8. The combination set forth in claim 4 wherein said switch includes an externally threaded cylindrical part, wherein said opening is circular, and wherein a nut is revolvably mounted in said opening and engages said threaded cylindrical part whereby turning said nut adjusts said switch toward and from said one edge of said panel.

9. The combination set forth in claim 8 wherein said nut includes a castellated collar interposed between said cover and said one edge of said panel.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 

